The Pilates Reformer and Tower

Reformer with Tower based Pilates

The Pilates Reformer (see photos above ) is a great way to take your mat Pilates workout to the next level. It is a dynamic item of apparatus that significantly expands the repetoire of Pilates exercises. It was originally designed by Joseph Pilates using a framework that could either assist or challenge the user based on his or her individual needs and proficiency.

German born Joseph Pilates (1883 -1967) has given us a wonderful legacy which inspires many teachers, health and fitness professionals,  and Pilates enthusiasts to this day. His early pioneering work was heavily based on spring work which offered a unique from of resistance with various degrees of spring tension.

During WW1 he was interned on the Isle of Man camp at Knockaloe as an orderly where he developed his skill of technical fitness in his rehabilitation of injured patients by attaching bed springs  from mattresses to hospital beds. This was to help support their limbs and make them strong again using spring resistance.

(Today we use resistance bands and the Pilates toning rings and weights to maintain and strengthen our muscles and joints in our Pilates practice!)

This led to his development of his large apparatus the Reformer which has evolved over the years and can be seen in many studios today where it has universal acclaim and appeal for the positive benefits it brings in terms of strength, flexibility, coordination,  control and balance. The Tower frame is attached to the Reformer.

There are many different models but all Reformers are designed and built using a similar system.

The springs  are attached to a moveable carriage  which moves forward and back connected to a system of  ropes and pulleys.  The springs offer a progressive resistance which strengthens not just your core muscles but your muscles and joints too. All are fitted with an adjustable foot bar, an essential component of this equipment. All the exercises can be performed in different positions and alignments

Clients coming to me for a Reformer session often say it helps them to do their mat work exercises better as they feel the ‘core connection’ more and it enables them to find the correct muscle recruitment. It has also enabled clients to achieve various mat work Pilates exercises that they have struggled to do successfully on the mat. 

Here is a review from one of my clients :

I had heard a lot about Reformer Pilates and wondered if it would benefit me. Therefore, I arranged a one-to-one session with Steph to find out what it was all about.

Doing the same exercises on the Reformer has helped me do mat work more effectively. I have discovered how each movement should feel, including which muscles should be engaged. In particular, I’ve felt my deep abdominal muscles working hard and become aware of muscles I didn’t even know I had! On the Reformer I’ve been able to do exercises I haven’t been able to do on the mat, for example, roll backs. On the mat I’d been using momentum to move from sitting to lying flat and back up. Being able to vary the intensity of resistance by adjusting the springs on the Reformer allows practice and improvement to do the exercise using my core muscles.

Being able to focus on specific areas means my posture has improved as has the alignment of my feet, ankles, knees, and hips. Overall, I am more aware of what I need to work on when doing mat work. – MP 24/12/23

Many clients are keen to master the Pilates seated ‘Roll back’ exercise .  We can achieve this segmental articulation through the spine using abdominal core strength with the adjustable resistance provided with the ropes and springs on the Reformer. In this exercise a heavier spring will assist you more but a lighter spring will challenge you !

This can also be achieved using the swing bar attached to the Tower (see photo above)

Exercises using the Tower frame attached to the Reformer opens up a dynamic array of amazing stretches elongating the body to maintain length and flexibility. I find these are fun, therapeutic and enjoyable to do, delivering a great sense of achievement.

Here is a link to a 2 minute balance exercise -fun to do!- made possible for those who find this particular balance challenging, using the push through bar on the Tower frame:  https://youtu.be/EwnzI_j1SXc

and here is a 10 minute video clip demonstrating  some induction exercises using the Tower apparatus  –

See if you can pinpoint the benefits for you!

 Another Client Review :

“This was an amazing experience. I worked everything- it helped my flexibility, my posture as well as improving the strength in my shoulders and neck” – J R 22/07/17

  Why not book to experience a Reformer /Tower workout  session! You will not only feel and look taller but feel uplifted, re energised and relaxed after your session.